People who undergo gastric bypass surgery may find themselves transferring one addiction -- their desire for food -- for another. Many of these surgery patients are ending up drowned in debt from overspending, depressed from becoming an alcoholic or are finding their lives in disarray from any number of other self-sabotaging addictions.

Gastric bypass surgery, which shrinks your stomach to the size of a walnut, makes it nearly impossible for former food “addicts” to overeat, but it does nothing to address the underlying behavior that drives a person to do something, anything, to excess.

“Transfer addictions” are now cropping up pervasively among the gastric bypass population as they search for something other than food -- drugs, alcohol, gambling, shopping and more -- to fill an emotional or physical void.

This surgery is clearly overlooking a major aspect of why people overeat in the first place -- emotional challenges -- and is in a sense throwing people to the wolves without giving them tools to overcome these difficulties.

Please understand that if you opt to have surgery or take a pill to lose weight, you are not addressing the emotional side of the equation and are asking for serious trouble. Exercising and supporting your emotional well-being -- not just simply cutting down on the amount of food your stomach can hold -- are vital to any successful weight loss plan.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content.

If you want to use an article on your site please click here. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content.

If you want to use an article on your site please click here. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.